Exposing the Heiress (9 page)

Hunt pulled her closer. “Parker still trying to get you to talk to him?”

“Yes. Frantic texts and emails that Dragon Wing needs me and I can’t just walk away. I’m being selfish and if I come back they can explain. He refuses to believe that Nate’s dangerous.”

“We’re taking Madden down, Lyssie. It’s going to take time, but he’s going to end up doing something stupid and plant his own ass in prison. You need to know we’re looking at his mother’s death.” He tugged her into the kitchen and showed her Sienna on the laptop. Hunt got some coffee while Si filled her in.

“So what now? I can’t hide forever. I won’t. I quit Dragon Wing to live my own life and go after my goals, not hide.”

The fire in her burned and made Hunt’s hands itch to capture the absolute beauty of Lyssie breaking free and discovering her own strength, both sexually and emotionally. It was sexy, alluring and scared the hell out of him because tightly wound guys like Madden had a tendency to snap in totally unpredictable ways.

“Stay here for a while longer. Let him get back from Europe and realize he can’t control you. That will put more pressure on him, and we’ll see what he does. He may make a big enough mistake that we can take him down and the threat to you and Eli will end.”

And so would he and Lyssie.

Chapter Ten

Alyssa ran to the beat of ‘Dark Horse’ by Katy Perry. She’d wound around the entire vineyard, savoring the freedom of giving herself over to the music and the run. She’d been here a week and a half and each day she felt more alive, vibrant and strong.

Beneath the beat of the music was the thump of worry. It was Monday. Nate must realize by now she wasn’t doing what he demanded of her. She wasn’t going back to him. What would be his next—

A horrible squeal or yelp cut over the music in her ears. Slowing her pace, she looked around. What was that? No one else was on the property except Hunt. Maybe it was a car turning a corner? Or the media? That picture all over the internet had caught the side profile of Alyssa but she’d mostly blocked Hunt’s face. The media was trying to figure out who he was. Once they did, they’d swarm. Even though she didn’t see any media vehicles, she turned to run up the main road to the house. Last thing she wanted was any more pictures of her on the—

Another yelping cry pitched over the music.

Her heart stuttered and chills broke out on her sweaty skin. Ripping off her earphones, she heard whimpers coming from behind her. Either a kid or an animal. The frantic cries shot adrenaline into her blood. She raced to the long gate stretched across the entrance to the vineyard. Grabbing the thick wrought iron bars, she visually searched the road. The small quiet street only had a few properties and little traffic.

There.
Oh my God! A small brown and white dog lay on the road, bleeding. Someone must have hit it. Alyssa raced to the control box and jabbed the button. The gate began its slow glide to open.

She squeezed out, glanced up and down for cars, saw none and ran to the animal. Crouching down, she fought to get her panic under control. The little guy needed help. He lay on his right side, and it looked like the front left shoulder and leg were injured. Blood matted in his long fur. The dog panted and whined. “Okay, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Careful to avoid the injured area she stroked the dog’s face.

Okay good. He didn’t try to bite her, but he rolled his eyes in obvious fear.

Should she move him? Alyssa didn’t know, but she couldn’t leave the little guy on the road. She reached for her phone tucked into her bra top to call Hunt for help when the roar of a car engine jerked her head up.

A small truck with dark windows coming fast. Too fast.

Hot panic exploded, flinging her back in time.
The car sliding out of control, spinning wildly. The hideous crash, screeching metal, screams—

The dog’s shrill yelp yanked her from the memory to the present. The truck was closing in, dark and terrifying. She scooped up the dog, sprang up and ran. The dog howled in pain. Tears burned Alyssa’s eyes. The truck tires squealed.

From her peripheral vision she saw it heading right at her. Adrenaline pumped furiously, slamming her heart against her rib cage. The truck roared closer and closer. She’d never make it.

Her body braced for impact. Oh God, oh—

Only feet from her, the truck suddenly swerved away. The engine gunned and the truck tore down the road at the same time Hunt raced out the gate, his eyes scanning up and down the street before landing on her.

“Lyssie, what happened?”

The dog shivered and whined in her arms. Her knees softened, going spongy as trembles seized her muscles. Fog filled her head and buzzed in her ears. She took a step and stumbled.

Hunt caught her elbows, steadying her. “Look at me. Tell me. Now.”

His warm hands cupping her elbows and sharp words chased out her shock. “Someone tried to run me over. They swerved away just before hitting me.”

…

Cold rage filled him. Everything snapped into hyperawareness. Getting inside the gate, he said, “Are you hurt?”

“No. The dog is. I need to get him to a vet or animal hospital.”

He finally dropped his gaze to the whimpering dog. Hell. Its front left leg and shoulder were pretty banged up. He guided her to his abandoned Jeep just inside the gate and opened the passenger side door. “Sit.” Once he turned off the car, he put a sterile gauze from his first aid kit on the dog’s wound, then grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around both of them.

“How did you know? I mean you just showed up out of nowhere.” She sucked in a choppy breath.

Hunt leaned over the dog, who’d calmed, and pulled Lyssie’s face to his chest. “When you opened the gate, the alarm system alerted me. I engaged that feature after Erin surprised us Friday night. When I heard the gate opening, I knew something was wrong so I jumped in the car and raced down here. Then I saw you standing there holding the dog.” She’d had an expression of confused terror on her face.

She leaned against his chest. “Thank you. I’m okay, just…adrenaline is making me shaky.”

Hunt stroked her back, feeling her tremors, but his head played other images. What if he’d arrived and found her lying on the street in a pool of blood? Christ. Tugging her ponytail, he tilted her head back and looked into her eyes. “Why did you go out the gate?”

“The dog. He was hurt, crying in the street. Hit by a car, I guess.”

Helpless fury roared through him. “Damn it, Lyssie, it was a set up. The dog was bait to get you out of the gate.” Since she said a car tried to hit her that was the logical conclusion.

Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t know that then, but I couldn’t leave him there.”

“Wrong. You call me, but you don’t leave this property again without me knowing it.”

“You can’t—”

Oh he could, because no way in hell was she putting herself in danger again. “Someone just tried to either scare you or kill you and chickened out. You’ll damn well do exactly what I tell you to do.”

She opened her mouth to respond when her phone beeped a message. She retrieved the phone from her shirt and looked at the screen. Her eyes widened while her lips went bloodless. “Next time, the car won’t miss. Get back where you belong before someone gets hurt.”

Hunt took the phone. Shit. Another blocked number.

“Nate. He did this. I didn’t go home, put on his ring and call the news conference announcing we were still marrying like he demanded in that text.” Her shivering increased.

Locking down his temper, he focused. “Describe the vehicle. Did you get a look at the driver?”

“Windows were tinted too dark. It happened too fast for me to see more than an older gray truck. A smaller model.” She tucked the blanket around the dog, petting his head. “Do you think Nate was in that truck?”

“No. We have eyes on him. He came home from Europe Sunday morning. Tried to go to your house last night and the guards at the gate turned him away as per your instructions. I got an update a little while ago that he went into Dragon Wing this morning. Your stepfather is there too.”

“He’s got someone doing this, proving if he can’t get to Eli he’ll get to me.”

“The goal is to scare you into compliance.”

“Screw him.” She stroked the little dog’s head. “But we have to take the dog in for help. They hurt him because of me.” Tears welled in her eyes.

Shit. Hunt’s protective instincts battled. He wanted Lyssie safe in the house, but the dog needed help. And he wasn’t leaving her alone here. “Okay. We’ll take him, but we aren’t staying there and waiting. I won’t have you out in the open right now.”

He watched logic and emotion battle it out, but finally, she nodded. “Deal. As long as I can call and get updates on the dog…and maybe I’ll ask Erin to check on him so he’s not alone.”

Like she had been after her mom died. How had he ever thought Lyssie had turned into a rich, spoiled heiress? She’d suffered, but instead of letting it sour her, she’d become more caring.

This woman was a hell of a lot stronger than anyone had given her credit for.

…

Sitting on the couch in the family room, Alyssa was finishing up a Skype meeting with her wealth management team when a loud knock at the front door made her jump. Her nerves suddenly tightened. She ended the meeting, and stood as Hunt answered the door and returned, followed by a tall man with dark wavy hair and that same formidable bearing Hunt had.

Did all former Marines look so capable and sexy? Leaving her computer, she walked up to him. “Hi, I’m Alyssa Brooks.”

His warm hand engulfed hers. “I’m Adam Waters, and it’s a pleasure.” Releasing her hand, he asked, “You holding up okay? The media shit storm is pretty brutal.”

The memory of that picture being splashed all over the world made her wince internally. In the last few days it had escalated on social media, with Alyssa being called all kinds of fun names. Even better? This man was Hunt’s friend, boss, and owner of Once A Marine, and he probably surmised from the photo that she was sleeping with Hunt. Taking her hand back, she kept his stare despite her embarrassment. “I’m used to it, but Hunt wasn’t clearly visible in that photo, so hopefully the media will leave him alone.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “Hunt can take care of himself, but you came to us for help, not to get splashed across the media in a compromising picture.”

Hunt slapped down three glasses of iced tea. “That why you insisted on coming by in person?”

The two men stared at each other, and Alyssa could feel the tension building. “Exactly.” Adam sat and grabbed a cold glass.

“What’s going on?” Confused, she looked up at Hunt. “I thought he talked to Nate’s ex-girlfriend about the alibi. I don’t understand.”

Hunt tugged out a chair and gestured to it. “He could have sent a report, but Adam’s here checking to make sure you’re a happy client.”

Which was probably a nice way of saying he was there to protect Hunt and his company. “Everything is fine. It’d be better if we could make Nate leave me alone.”

Hunt dropped down in the seat next to her. “We will.” He squeezed her shoulder, then turned to Adam. “What did Tami Nash say?”

Adam shook his head. “She met me on her lunch hour yesterday. She’s not going to recant her statement that Nate was with her the night his mother fell down the stairs.”

Alyssa stared at her glass, thinking. “Maybe he was there with her all night.”

“I don’t think so. The fact that she met with me tells me it’s bothering her. If she does recant she could end up being disbarred for giving a false statement to police. She’d essentially be involved with a murder.”

“You really think Nate killed his mother? Pushed her down the stairs?” She hadn’t wanted to believe that she was sleeping with a man who could kill his own mother.

Adam measured her for long seconds. “Let me put it this way. I asked Miss Nash flat out if she was afraid of Nate Madden. She said yes.”

Chills broke out on her arms. All she had to do was recall the way Nate’d pushed her against the wall in the elevator, to believe he’d have threatened his ex-girlfriend in a similar manner. “So what now?”

“Miss Nash had some things to say about Madden, including that he was obsessed with you, Alyssa. He’d constantly searched out any information on you.”

Hunt set his glass of tea down. “That’s the second time we’ve heard that.”

Adam nodded. “So far, we have threats and actions we can’t prove. Madden’s been just careful enough, even those text messages don’t trace back to him. He probably suspects he’s being followed and is cautious.” The man took a breath and went on. “His obsession with you, that’s his breaking point. Let’s pressure him, see if he does something rash. If he comes here and makes a scene, we can get him on stalking and more.”

“You want to use Lyssie as bait.”

She jerked at the ice in Hunt’s voice. His face carved into hard unforgiving ridges.

“It’s time we take control. Pressure this guy and force him to either give up or meltdown. Because my sense after talking to Miss Nash?” Adam set his heavy gaze on them both. “He’s dangerous as fuck.”

Fear clanged in her head. “He could go after Eli again.”

Adam nodded. “The woman, Tami? She has a younger sister. Want to guess who Madden threatened? The girl was thirteen at the time. Seventeen now. Every once in a while a picture of her sister shows up in Tami’s mailbox. Random shots like the girl out on a date, at cheer practice, shopping with her friends.”

“Nate’s had the girl followed.” Another thought occurred to her. “Unless maybe he’s pulling them from her social media sites?”

Adam shook his head. “Tami checked. She showed me a couple, they were taken with a long-range lens.”

The sudden pitching of her stomach had her swallowing hard. Buzzing sounded in her ears. “He’s going to do something awful to Eli if he can get to him.”

“Lyssie.” Hunt turned her face to his. “Griff won’t let them touch him.”

Not enough. “Can he take them away? Anywhere? I’ll pay. Please.” All she could think of was that tiny baby in her arms, how much she’d loved him in those few moments. Then the video Hunt had gotten for her, the one she’d watched a hundred times in the last few days. That beautiful little boy… She wouldn’t let Nate hurt him.

Hunt considered that. “Not a bad idea, actually. I have the perfect place if the parents are willing.”

She grabbed onto his arm. “Where?”

“My friend Logan Knight has a huge horse ranch in Texas. Logan still works part time for Once A Marine from there and he’s good. There, with him and Griff, the kid and his parents will be untouchable. They’ll have the huge ranch to move around on.”

“I agree,” Adam said. “You call Logan, I’ll call Griff.”

Before she knew it, the two men had it arranged. Mark and Janis, Eli’s parents, agreed, a private plane chartered and they’d be in Texas by nightfall.

Hunt took her hand. “You okay?”

She inhaled a deep breath and faced him. “What I am is pissed.” Furious heat blasted out of her skin. “Nate Madden thought he could seduce and control me, and use my son to do it? Not happening.” Taking her hand away, she surged up to her feet. “I’m not the first. He’s left that other poor woman living in terror and his mother dead, but I was his ultimate mark, his final prize, and I am no man’s prize.” God, she was just damned mad. When she’d first run to Hunt, she’d been scared and unsure. But now?

“We need to screw with Nate’s plans. Show him he’s not scaring me.” She slapped her hand down on the back of her chair. “And swear to God, he’d better not hurt another dog.” That was another thing that had sickened and enraged her, but the good news was the dog would recover and the vet had located his owners through a microchip in the animal. The dog had been stolen right out of their car when the owner ran back in the house for something. So many thoughts churned through her head. Then an idea hit her. “Let’s send the ring back to Nate.”